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(No Model.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 1o Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE. I

No. 570,059. Patented 001;. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 16 Sheets- Sheet 3.

J. E. ROWE.

KNITTING MAGHINE. v

No. 570,059. Patented Qct..27, 1896.

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KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 670,059. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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(No Model.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 6.

- J. E. ROWE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 570,059. Patented Oct. 27, 1896 WlTNESSES. INVENTEIR.

16 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)-

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

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(No ModeL) 16 Sheets -Sheet 8.

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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1e sheets-sheet 10.

(No Model.)

J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MAGHINE. N0. 570,059. PatentedOot. 27,1896.

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(No Model.) 1a Sheets Sheet n. 'J. E. ROWE.

v KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 570,059. Patented 001127, 1896.

WITNESSES. 7

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(N0 Mode l.) 16 Sheets-Sheet 12. J. E. ROWE. KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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N0. 570,059. Patented oa 27, 1896.

WITNESSES.

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KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented 00a. v27, 1896..

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KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 570,059. I Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

. "v16 Sheets-Sheet 16.

WITNESSES.

UNITED I STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JAMES E. ROWE, OF PAIY'IUCKET, Rl-IODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE E.JENCKES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Iaetfiers Patent N0. 5'70,059,'datedOctober 2'7, 1896.

A lication filed November 20,1895. serial No 569,583. (No model.)

.TO all whom, it may concern/.- Be it known that- I', JAMES E. ROWE, ofthe city of Pawtucket, county of Providence, in

the State of Rhode Island, have invented oer-- tain new and usefulImprovements in Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the same,'to be a full, clear and exact descriptionthereof.

The present invention relates more especially to automatic rotaryknitting-machines used for knitting stockings, and hasfor its object theimprovement of the-various mechanisms used in machines of this class,whereby the number of parts is reduced and the speed of the machineincreased.

To this end the invention consists of the improvements hereinafterdescribed, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of saidimprovements, Figure 1 is a plan view with the parts above theknitting-head removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper part ofthe machine with take-up mechanism removed. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.Fig. 4 is an end view looking toward the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is anend elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detailview, partly in section showing a portion of the speed-changingmechanism. Figs. 7 and S are an elevation and plan View, respectively,of the controller and pattern-chain. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is an end view lookingtoward the left in Fig. 9. Figs. 11 and 12 are details showing a portionof the driving mechanism for shifting the clutch. Fig. 13 is anelevation of the driving mechanism for the controller and pattern-chain.Fig. 14 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 13. Figs. 15 and 16are detail views showing the ratchet for driving the cont-roller. Fig.15 shows a modification of the ratchet. Fig. 17 is a plan view of theclutch and devices for shifting the same. Fig. 18 shows a development ofthe clutch-shifting cam. Fig. 19 is an elevation of the cam-cylinderwith the narrowingand widening cams removed.

I 20 is an elevation of the cam-cylinder with the narrowing and wideningcams mounted thereon. Fig. 21 is a vertical section of the camcylinder,showing the knitting cams. Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken on line 00, Fig. 20. Figs. 23 and. 24 are detail views of thenarrowing-cams. Fig.25 is a plan view of the cam-cylinder, showing the wideningcams and themeans for controlling the same. Figs. 26 and 27 are details showing thewidening-cams in and out of operation. Figs. 28 to 30 and 32to 34,inclusive, are details of the mechanism for V controlling thewideningcams. Fig. 31 is a detail of the pin for connecting the sinkercam-ring and cam-cylinder. Fig. 35 isa development of the inside of thecam-cylinder, showing the throw-in and throw-outcams. Fig. 36 is adevelopment of the inside cam-cylinder, showing the knitting and thenarrowing and widening cams. Fig. 37 is a plan View, partly in section,of the knitting-head, showing the device for controlling certain of thecams carried by the cam-cylinder. Fig. 37 is a detail view of theratchet and actuating-pawl for operating said device. Fig. 38 is asectional View taken on the line a 2, Fig. 37'. Fig. 39 is a sectionalView showing the set-screw for securing the needle-cylinder to itssupporting-ring. Fig. 40 is a sectional view showing the fashioningmechanism. Fig. 41 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 40.Fig. 42 is a plan view of the needle supporting ring. Figs. 43 and 44are elevations showing the take-up mechanism in two different positions.Figs. 45, 46, and 47 are details of the take-up mechanism.

The machine which has been shown to illustrate an embodiment of thepresent improvements comprises the elements common to rotary knittingmachinesto wit, a speed.- changing mechanism for reducing the speedduring reciprocating knitting, a motionchanging mechanism for changingthe motion of the cam-cylinder from rotary to reciprocating, and viceversa, a knitting-head comprising a needle-cylinder and cam-cylindercarrying the knitting-cams, narrowing and widenin gcams,.and means forthr .wing a portion of the needles out of and nto operation,

a take-up mechanism, a fashioning mechan ism, and a pattern chain orcarrier for governing the operation of the machine.

Speed-changing mechanism. (Figs. 3, 4, G, '7, and 9.)-\lounted insuitable bearings in the frame of the machine is the driving-shaft A,carrying the pulleys A A A and the pinion A", the pulleys A A and thepinion being secured to the shaftand the pulley A being loose on theshaft. The pulley A carries a pinion A, secured to its hub and meshingwith a smaller pinion A, mounted on a stud projecting from the frame.The pinion A is secured to a larger pinion A which meshes with thepinion A. The gearing is so pro-p portioned that the pulley A is drivenat a slower speed than pulley A A belt A transmits motion from pulleys AA to the pulley A, loosely mounted on a shaft A The speed is controlledby the cams by the following mechanism: A sliding bar a, supported bythe hanger a, has one end in-the path of cams C and the other endpivoted to the upper end of the belt-shifting lever a pivoted at a. Theother end of the lever a is pivoted to the end of the rod a", whichslides in the bearing 0. and carries at its other end the belt-shifter(t. The belt A is normally held on the fast pulley by the spring asecured to the beltshifter and the frame, and is moved onto the slowpulley against the tension of the spring by the action of cams O on thebar a. The pulley A is connected to the shaft A by means of afriction-clutch member A, keyed to the shaft in a well-known manner. Ahandlever A ,pi\'oted to the frame and to the clutch member, serves tothrow the clutch member into engagement with pulley A For holding theclutch in engagement a bar A is pivoted to the rear end of the lever Aand is provided with a hook or shoulder which engages a lug A on theframe of the machine. This shoulder maybe disengaged from the lug bypressing the bar A or by a lug 011 the pattern-chain in any well-knownmanner, and when so disengaged the spring A draws the clutch member fromengagement with pulley A and thus stops the machine.

.lIotion-dmngingmechanism. (Figs. 1,2,3, 9, and 17.)-Fast to the shaft Ais a pinion A", which meshes with an intermediate gear A, secured toshaft A The gear A in turn meshes with and drives a pinion A loose onthe clutch-shaft A Also loose on the clutch-shaft is a pinion A, whichis oscillated by means of a rack A, connected to a crankpin on the gearA by means of an adjustable connecting-rod A Keyed on the shaft Abetween the pinions A and A is a sliding clutch member B, provided withspring-pins, one adapted to engage a recess in the hub of pinion A andthe other adapted to engage a recess in the hub of pinion A according asthe clutch member is shifted in one direction or the other. Secured tothe end of shaft A is a beveled gear A which meshes witha beveled gear Asecured to the cam-cylinder.

hen the clutch member is in engagement with the pinion A thecam-cylinder is given a rotary motion, and when the clutch member isshifted into engagement with the pinion A the cam-cylinderis given areciprocating motion.

The shifting of the clutch B to change from rotary to reciprocatingknitting, and Vice versa, is controlled by the cams C through thefollowing mechanism: Mounted in suitable hearings in the frame of themachine is the shaft B, which carries the clutch-shif ting cam B securedthereto. The cam B is provided with a cam-groove which engages a bowlsecured to the rear end of the clutch-shifting lever B and actuates thesaid. lever to shift the clutch in either direction. Loosely mounted 011the shaft 13 is a disk 0, which is oscillated by means hereinafterdescribed. Secured to the shaft B adjacent the disk 0 is a disk 13,provided with notches B in its face. The disk 0 carries a sliding pin B,provided with beveled ends and arranged in position to be acted on atthe proper time by the cams C The operation is as follows: One of thecams 0 being in position to be struck by the pin the latter is forcedinto one of the notches B, thus connecting the oscillating disk 0 to thedisk 13 and causing the shaft 13 to be turned a'- step, thus turning theclutch-shifting cam. 011 the return oscillation of the disk 0 thebeveled end of the pin B rides up the inclined end of the recess 13,thus forcing the pin back into its normal position where it remainsuntil again acted on by one of the cams O Connected to the rear end ofthe clutch shifting lever is an arm B". When the motion of thecam-cylinder is changed from rotary to reciprocating, the arm 13 engagesthe beltshifting lever and holds the belt on the slow pulley until themotion is changed back to rotary.

Pattern-chem and controller and driving mechcmisms therefor. (Figs. 9 to16.)A sleeve G is secured to an arm C, extending from the frame by meansof abolt C Loosely mounted on the sleeve 0 is the sprocket-wheel Ccarrying the pattern-chain C The driving mechanism for thesprocket-wheel consists of a ratchet-wheel C secured thereto, and a pawlG which works on the ratchetwheel and advances it continuously, as willbe more fully described. Loosely mounted on the sleeve O adjacent to thepattern-chain is a disk C". In the form shown this disk is also aratchet-wheel, but the ratchet-wheel might be formed on a separate diskand disk 0 be attached thereto. The disk 0 has lugs O secured to it onthe side adjacent the pattern-chain, which are in position to be struckby lugs 0 on said chain. The disk C is recessed on its opposite side anda disk C, carrying two cams O is adjustably secured in said recess bymeans of bolts C The sleeve C carrying the cams C is also secured to thedisk C by means of a hub projecting .segmental gear 0 from said disk,and the parts carried by said disk C form a controller for controllingeither directly or indirectly the operation of certain of the othermechanisms.

The driving mechanisms for the controller may be of any suitable form,and in the form shown it consists of the ratchet-teeth formed on thedisk and a pawl c for engaging said teeth, which pawl is operated bymechanism to be described. This driving mechanism is normallyinoperative by reason of the fact that the disk 0 is provided withdwells in which the pawl 0 works, and said mechanism is periodicallythrown into operation by the lugs C Figs. 7 and S, engaging lugs O andmoving the dwell from under the pawl and allowing said pawl to engagethe teeth on the disk 0".

Friction is applied to the ratchet-wheel C by means of spring-pressedshoes C and to the controller by means of a spring-washer interposedbetween the hanger a and the end of sleeve 0 and engaging the end ofsleeve C The pawls 0 and c are actuated by the following mechanism: Thegear A is provided on its face with a cam-groove c, in which runs a bowlon the end of a rock-arm 0, secured to a stud mounted in the frame, saidarm being provided at its other end with a segmental gear c*. Thissegmental gear meshes with a segmental gear 0 secured to a rockshaft 0which has secured thereto another The gear 0 meshes with gear-teethformed on the disk 0 before referred to, and to which the pawl c foractuating the 'disk 0 is pivoted at 0 Projecting from the pawl c is astud 0 carrying the pawl 0 which actuates the disk 0'. By theabovedescribed mechanism the disk c will be constantly oscillated, thuscausing pawl 0 to constantly feed forward the pattern-chain and the pawlto actuate the disk 0 when said disk is turned by the pattern-chain tocarry the dwell from under the pawl. A

spring-guard o is fastened to the frame to prevent the pawl 0 engagingmore than a predetermined number of teeth on the disk 0 With thearrangement shown, wherein the pawl 0 is pivoted to the pawl 0 shouldthe pattern-chain become clogged for any reason and prevent the movementof the ratchet-wheel C the pawl 0 will rock on the pivot c and abreakage of any of the parts be prevented. It will thus be seen that bypivoting the pawl 0 to the pawl c a yielding member is provided in thedriving mechanism for the pattern-chain for preventing breakage of theparts should the patternchain become clogged.

In the preferred form of controller shown the disk (l carries twoduplicate sets of cams, each set comprising the three cams (I C 0 andsaid disk is provided with two dwells and twelve teeth, there being sixteeth between the dwells, and the controller makes three revolutions foreach stocking. 'It will be understood, however, that the presentinvenplaced in position.

tion is not limited to the exact form of controller shown and described,and that the number and arrangement of cams may be varied, and that thenumber and arrangement of teeth and dwellson the driving-disk may bevaried, or other means used for driving the controller, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

In using a short pattern-chain it will sometimes happen that the lugs Cin being carried around with the disk 0 would engage one of the lugs Oon the pattern-chain and feed the chain along at the speed of the disk 0As the disk 0 is fed at a greater speed than the ratchet C the properoperation of the machine would be interfered with. To guard againstthis, I prefer to mount the lugs on the disk C in the manner shown inFig. 15. The lugs P, which correspond to lugs O in Fig. 15, are pivotedto the disk C at P and are held up in position to be engaged by the lugson the pattern-chain by a cam C formed on the flange of the sleeve 0. Apin P serves as a stop to limit the outward movement of the lug P.l/Vit-h the above construction should the lug P engage one of the lugson the pattern-chain it would yield and pass by without affecting thefeed of the chain.

Knitting-head, cam-cylinder, and mechanism carried thereby-Theknitting-head is provided with the usual guard and threadguide D,pivoted to an arm secured to the cam-cylinder E in the usual manner andwith the usual sinker cam-ring F operated from the cam-cylinder, Figs. 2and 38. The sinkers G are guided in the usual sinker-ring G, secured tothe needle-cylinder H. The needles H are guided in grooves in theneedle-cylinder and are held in place by springbands 11, some of theneedles being formed with longer butts than the others, as is common inthis class of machines. The baseplate H is provided with an annular ribH, which engages an annular groove H in the The cam-cylinder is securedto the gear A and moves therewith, as is usual. The plates H H aresecured to the base-plate and overhang the gear A to hold it in place,and also to form supports for certain parts hereinafter referred to.

The sinker cam-ringis driven from the camcylinder by means of a pin F,which engages the shoulders F F formed by the ends of a recess in aplate F secured to the sinker cam-ring, Figs. 3 and 31. In placing thesinker cam-ring on the knitting-head it has hitherto been necessary tobring the recess above the pin before the cam-ring could be It ispreferred, therefore, to make the pin F a yielding pin and provide itwith a beveled end, so that the cam-ring may be placed on theknitting-head without regard to the recess and the cam-ring then turnedaxially until the pin enters the recess. v

In Fig. 31 is shown the manner of mounting pin F. In the arm F carriedby the cam-cylinder is a recess provided with a shoulder F and a springF is interposed between said shoulder and a shoulder on pin F. The smallend of pin F outside the arm F is provided with a collar F having a lugF which engages a recess in arm F and prevents the pin F turning on itsaxis.

The inner face of the cam-cylinder E is provided with a rib E, whichserves as a rest for the butts of the needles when they are in loweredor operative position. The cams for the knitting operation are asfollows: Between the ends of the rib E are the two beveled cam-plates Eand the inverted-V-shaped cam-plate E Just above the beveled ends of theplate E are the fixed cams E E which are provided with depressions E Efor the narrowing-cams, as will be more fully explained. Two pivotedswitch-cams E E are disposed at the ends of plates E E and rest on thebeveled ends of plates E Disposed above the cams E E are the fixedplates or guard-cams E E and pivoted between the adjacent ends of cams Eis the pivoted automatic switch-cam E Above the cam E is a fixed plateor gnard'cam E 1 The position of the cams above described during theforward motion of the cam-cylinder either in rotary or reciprocatingknitting is that shown in Figs. 21 and 36, and the course of the needle-butts is as indicated by dotted lines 3 9 Fig. 30. During the re'verse motion of the camcylinder in reciprocating knitting the course ofthe needle-b utts is above the cams E E" and under the cams E EJIcchcmt'sm for throwing out of and into operation the needles not usedon the heel and toc.Secured to the outer face of the camcylinder and onthe opposite side of the cylinder from the knitting-cams are twospringarms d and carrying at their free ends the cams cl and c,respectively, which cams play through openings in the cam-cylinder.These cams are normally held by the spring-arms, so that their innerfaces are substantially flush with the inner face of the cam-cylinder,but are adapted to be projected into position to engage the butts of theneedles. The cam cl is projected in only far enough to engage the longbutts, while the cam e is preferably projected into position to engageboth long and short butts. The cam d consists of an inclined plate, itslower end extending below the upper edge of the rib E and its upper endterminating in the plane of the upper edge of the plates E and E Figs.and 36. hen the cam is projected into operative position, theneedle-butts ride along the rib E, and the long butts, engaging theinclined edge of the plate d, pass up this incline into the path 0t- 03,Fig. 35, and out of position to be operated on by the knittingcams,while the short butts continue along the rib E. The cam e is an inclinedplate similar to plate d, but inclined in the opposite direction, andits upper end extends above the upper position of the needle-butts andits lower end terminates just above the lower position of theneedle'butts. \Vhen this cam e is in operative position, it engages allthe needle-butts, whether long or short, which may be in the upper ornon-knitting position and carries them down into the lower or knittingposition. The action of the cams d and e is controlled through mechanismwhich will be described hereinafter.

Narrowing mechanism.Pivoted at f" on the outside of the cam-cylinder andin a plate f attached thereto, is a triangular plate f, by which thenarrowing-cams f f are carried, Figs. 22, 23, and 2st. The cam f in theform shown consists of a pin provided with a notched end. This pin ismounted to slide in a bearing f in the plate 1'', and is provided with apin f extending through a slot in the bearing f and acted on by acamgroove f, formed in the plate f. A spring f is attached to the platef and a pin on the plate f and tends to hold the plate f at either endof its throw. The cam f is the same in construction and operation as camf. These cams project through a curved slot f in the cam-cylinder andare normally held in the position shown in Fig. 36 by the spring f withthe cam f resting in the recess E and the cam f below the upper path ofthe needlebutts and drawn back of the plate E lVhile I prefer to use aspring f to hold the cams f and f in the recesses E E, respectively,this spring may be omitted and the inertia of the parts alone relied onto keep the cams in position.

In rotary knitting the cams f f are in the position indicated in Fig.36, out of the path of the needle-butts. 'When the cam-cylinder isreversed, however, in changing from rota ry to reciprocating knitting,and after the needles with the long butts have been thrown out ofaction, the short needle-butts pass over the switch-cam E between theplates E and E", and the butt of the first needle engages the notch inthe narrowing-cam f causing the cam-carrier f to swing on its pivot andcarry the cam f up into the position before occupied by cam f. By thismovement the cam f is carried down into the recess E that is, intoposition to be engaged by the butt of the first needle on the movementof the camcylinder in the opposite direction, when the parts will bereturned to their former position. As each of the cams passes from itslowest to its highest position the cam-groove f acts 011 the pin f todraw the cam back of the plate E and the needle-butt, which is carriedup with the cam, is delivered onto and passes up over said plate andover either the plate E or E. Thus it will be seen that a needle isthrown out of operation at each reciprocation of the cam-cylinder solong as

